WATCH: Arch Manning drags multiple defenders for first-down runs
Neither of his NFL uncles—Peyton and Eli Manning—were known for their rushing abilities, but Arch Manning proved Friday night that he has some wheels and isn’t afraid to use them.
In the second quarter of New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman’s game against Metairie Park Country Day, Manning broke off two impressive first-down runs. He showed a nice burst of speed—everything is relative, right—and using his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame to drag defenders for multiple yards.
Later in the drive, Manning chose to keep on a designed read play, beating a defender to the outside and breaking multiple tackles for a 20-yard run to set Isidore Newman up inside the 5-yard line.
In his first two seasons as a starter for the Greenies, Manning threw for more than 4,000 yards and 55 touchdowns, while completing better than 64 percent of his passes. He is ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and top overall player in the 2023 On100 rankings and has garnered offers from major programs like Alabama, Ole Miss, Clemson, Georgia and Texas.
Charles Power: Arch Manning is worthy of lofty status
On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power listed Manning as the No. 1 overall player in the initial On100 rankings, and he believes he’s lived up to the hype and then some.
“Simply put, Arch Manning has one of the quickest and purest releases I’ve seen from a high school quarterback,” Power said. “His throwing motion is concise with no moving parts. The ball consistently comes out quick. In-person, it’s almost easy to not notice the release unless you’re watching it explicitly.”
” … A quarterback’s ultimate success is decided by how they play from within a pocket. On that front, Manning is already stepping up and firing as the walls are closing in. There are a number of plays from the 2020 season where he doesn’t bail out, stands tall and throws a strike.”